Manual shifting device for bicycle gearing



May 17, 1960 H. K. GLEASMAN ETAL MANUAL SHIFTING DEVICE FOR BICYCLEGEARING Filed Dec. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A'I'J'l 1,411 I WITNESS: 52Km. m6;

H. K. GLEASMAN ETAL 2,936,650

MANUAL SHIFTING DEVICE FOR BICYCLE GEARING May 17, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Dec.

INVENTOR.

BYfidd/ifo 6mm WITNESS: [15%. 07022:;

MANUAL SHIFTING DEVICE FOR BICYCLE GEARING Hollis K. Gleasman and EdwinElliott Hood, Elmira, N.Y., assignors to Bendix Aviation Corporation,Elmira Heights, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 22,1958, Serial No. 782,120 7 Claims. (Cl. 74-489) The present inventionrelates to a manual shifting device for bicycle gearing and moreparticularly a remote control for a two-speed bicycle hub brake.

In devices of this type such as shown, for instance, in the patent toHood 2,609,712, issued September 9, 1952, it is customary to operate thechange speed mechanism in the hub by means of a flexible cable leadingto an actuating device located within convenient reach of the operator.The change in gear ratio is accomplished by shifting a sun gear from alow gear position where it is clutched to the stationary axle, to a highgear position in which it is clutched to a planet carrier.

It is important that such shifting of the sun gear be accomplishedcompletely and reliably since a failure to complete proper travel of thesun gear may cause milling of the teeth or even a failure to engage.This could render the device inoperative for either driving or braking,and thereby causethe operator to lose control of the vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel shittingdevice for two-speed bicycle gearing which is efficient and reliable inoperation while being simple and economical in construction.

It is another object to provide such a device incorporating a flexiblecable and means for applying tension to the cable having a substantiallystraight line motion to avoid flexing the cable.

It is another object to provide such a device having a comparativelywide latitude of travel in relation to its overall dimensions, wherebyadjustment of the device is not critical.

It is another object to provide such a device including a casing whichis so formed as to provide a detent action conducive to full strokeoperation of the device, with resistive retention of the control leverin either of its operative positions.

It is another object to provide such a device which is readily assembledand disassembled without requiring tools or extraneous fastening means.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the shifting means with thecooperating portions of the two-speed hub, partly broken away and insection, the parts being in the low-speed position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the shifting means, with the casing brokenaway and in section, showing the parts in the high gear position;

Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the shifting lever illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of the casing with its cover removed;I i Fig. 5 is a similar detail of the cover;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a second embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the shifting device shown in Fig. 6 withthe casing cut away, the parts being shown in the high gear position;

Fig. 8 is a detail in perspective of the shifting lever tPPW g 622 75United tates Patent 0 Fig. 9 is a detail in perspective of the casingillustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 with the cover removed; and

Fig. 10 is a similar view of the cover.

In Fig. l of the drawing there is illustrated a portion of a two-speedhub 1 of the kind illustrated in the patent to Hood above cited, showinga sun-gear 2 in clutching engagement with a member 3 fixed to thestationary axle 4. Means for shifting the sun-gear into clutchingengagement with a planet carrier 5 is provided comprising yoke members6, 7 fixed on the end of a shift rod 8 slidably mounted in the axle 4and yieldably urged to the left in Fig. l by means of a compressionspring 9.

The rod 8 is shifted axiallyto the right against the spring 9 by athrust member 11 which is actuated by a bell crank lever 12 pivoted at13 in a cap member 10 threaded on the end of the axle.

In order to actuate the lever 12 manually, a shifting device indicatedgenerally by the numeral 14 is mounted in any suitable manner in aposition convenient to the operator such as the handle bar of thebicycle. Said shifting device is connected to the lever by means of aflexible cable 15 having a sheath 16 which is clamped to the frame ofthe bicycle in the usual manner as indicated at 20, so as to maintainthe end of the sheath pressed against said shifting device. The lowerend of the cable is adjustably attached to the lever 12 as indicated at21. The structure so far described is substantially similar to thedisclosure in the patent to Hood above cited, the present inventionbeing concerned with the means for actuating the cable 15.

The shifting device 14 comprises a casing 17 having substantially fiatsides'18, 19 with registering openings 22 for receiving a pivot pin 23fixedly mounted therein. A link 24 is pivoted on said pin and carries atits upper end a second pin 25 which is fixedly mounted in any suitablemanner in alined openings 30 in a shifting lever 26 best shown in Fig.3, thereby forming a floating or swinging fulcrum for said lever.

Lever 26 is bifurcated for a portion of its length and formed with hooks27, 28 forming a seat for a cylindrical terminal block 29 fixed in anysuitable manner on the upper end of the cable 15, the cable beingarranged to extend between said hooks. The lower end of lever 26 hasregistering openings 3-1, 32 in which a pin 33 is fixedly mountedforming a bearing for a roller 34 which bears on the bottom 35 and thefront end wall 36 of the casing 17.

The opposite end wall 37 of the casing is slotted as indicated at 38(Fig. 4) to permit passage of the actuating arm 39 of the lever 26.

The front end wall 36 of the casing has an opening 41 for receiving thereduced extension 42 of a nipple 43 fixedly mounted on the upper end ofthe sheath 16 of cable 15. A slot 44 is also formed in said end wall ofthe casing to permit entry of the cable 15 laterally into the opening41.

The casing 17 is provided with a cover 45 extending over the top of thecasing, which is bent down and formed with lugs as indicated at 46 forreception in notches 47, 48 in an edge portion of side walls 18 and 19,respectively of the casing 17, and also with lateral extensions 49, 51seating in depressions 52, 53 formed in the top edges of the sides 18,19 of the casing. The forward end of the cover 45 is also bent down asshown at 54 and formed with an opening 5Swhich is also arranged toreceive the extension 42 of the bushing 43, and is slotted as shown at56 to permit lateral passage of the cable 15.

In assembling the shifting device the cable 15 is first passed throughthe slot 44 in the front end wall of the casing and the anchor block 29seated in the hooks 27, 28 of lever 26. The cover 45 is then hooked overthe rear end of the casing and, while the bushing 43 is withdrawnagainst the expansive force of the sheath 16, the cover is swung downuntil opening 55 of the cover registers with the opening 41 of thecasing, after which the extension 42 of bushing 43 is permitted toproject into said registering openings, where it is maintained by theexpansive force of the sheath 16 and thus locks the casing and cover inassembled relation.

In operation, starting with the parts in the low gear position asillustrated in Fig. 1 downward pressure by the operator on theprojecting arm 39 of the lever causes the lever to swing on the link 24while the roller 34 moves up on the front end wall 36 of the casing tothe posit-ion shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that this manipulationof the lever causes the hooks 27, 28, and consequently the anchored endof the cable 15, to move in the substantially horizontal path inalignment with the bushing 43 of the cable sheath 16, thus shifting thesun gear 2 against the force of the spring 9 from its low gear to itshigh gear position. Since the end wall 36 of casing 17 is inclined tothe vertical as illustrated, when the lever has reached the high gearposition as shown in Fig. 2, the tension of the cable on the lever, inconjunction with the supporting force of the link 24, produces aresolution of forces resisting return movement of the lever to low gearposition. The tension of the cable, as maintained by the spring 9, thustends to maintain the lever in either of its two operative positions.

The shifting down to low gear is of course effected by raising thehandle 39 of lever 26 whereby the parts of the shifting device arereturned to their low gear positions and retained therein by the tensionof the cable 15.

In Figs. 6 to inclusive of the drawing, a second embodiment of theinvention is illustrated which differs from the first embodiment only inthe form and method of mounting the shifting lever, and in theconformation of the casing. The remaining parts, being similar to thoseof the first embodiment, are similarly numbered.

In Fig. 8, the shifting lever 61 is shown to be formed with a bifurcatedportion having hooks 62, 63 for re ceiving the anchor block 29 of cable15, and with registering openings 64, for receiving the pivot pin 65 ofthe roller 66. In this case, however, instead of the link supportingmeans shown in the previous embodiment, the lever 61 has registeringcurved openings 67 slid'ably receiving a pin 68 fixedly mounted inregistering openings 69, in the casing 72 (Fig. 9), to thereby form thefloating fulcrum for the lever.

The front end wall 73 of casing 72 is substantially vertical, but has apartially sheared or struck out portion 74 forming an internal recess 75for receiving the roller 66 in the high gear position of the lever 61.The cover 76 is constructed similarly to that of the first embodimentand when assembled, its front end 77 rests on the projecting portion 74of the end wall 73 of the casing, where it is retained by the reducedportion 78 of nipple 79 projecting through the registering openings 81and 82 of the case and cover.

With this embodiment of the invention, downward pressure on theprojecting arm 83 of lever 61 causes the roller 66 to move up the endwall 73 of casing 72 until it rests in the seat formed by the depression75 ins-aid end wall. During this movement the lever 61 is guided by theengagement of the fixed pin 68 in the curved openings67 of the leverwhereby the hooks 62, 63, and consequently the anchored end of the cable15, describe a substantially horizontal path away from the nipple-79.

At the end of this movement, as illustrated in Fig. 7, the gearinghasbeen shifted into its high gear position, where it is yieldablymaintained by the tension of the cable resisting displacement of theroller 66 from the seat 75.

Although but two embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail, it will be understood that changes may be made inthe form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spiritof the invention.

We claim:

1. A remote controlling device for two-speed bicycle gearing comprisinga flexible cable and means for re ciprocating the cable including afixed casing having front and rear walls, guide means conducting one endof the cable through the front wall into the casing, a terminal blockfixed on said end of the cable, a lever mounted in the casing having aseat for receiving said block arranged on rotation and translation ofthe lever to apply tension to the cable through the block, and anoperating arm extending from the casing through the rear wall thereof,the inner end of said lever having a thrust bearing on the front wall ofthe casing; and a floating fulcrum for the lever in the casing soarranged in relation to said front wall of the casing that rotation ofthe lever causes its inner end to traverse the front wall of the casingand thereby move the lever bodily away from said guide means to causesaid seat to describe a path between the high and low gear positions ofthe seat substantially in alinement with said guide.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the wall of the casingforming the bearing for the inner end of the lever is so inclined inrelation to the fulcrum of the lever that the tension of the cableresists movement of the lever away from either of its operativepositions.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the floating fulcrum forthe lever in the casing is so arranged in conjunction with the thrustbearing on the front wall of the casing that pivotal movement of thelever around its fulcrum to draw the cable into the casing is alsooperative to translate the lever bodily in the direction to increase thetravel of the cable.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the floating fulcrum forthe lever is in the form of a link member pivoted at one end on thecasing, and at the other end to an intermediate point of the lever.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 in which the front wall of the casing which forms the bearing for the inner end of the lever is soinclined with respect to the direction of travel of the cable in thecasing that the tension of the cable resists rotation of the lever awayfrom either of its operative positions.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the casing formed of a bodyportion comprising a bottom, two parallel side walls spaced to permitfree passage of the cableterminal block therebetween, and front and backend Walls, the guide means for the cable being mounted in said front endwall, said guide and front end wall of the casing being slotted to admitthe cable; and a detachable cover for the cas ing, the rear of the coverbeing attached to the back end wall of the casing, and the front of thecover being slotted to admit the cable, said front end wall of thecasing and the front of the cover having registering openings foradmitting the guiding means for the cable.

7. A "device as set forth in claim 6 in which the cable is provided witha flexible sheath, and the guiding means for the cable is in the form ofa nipple mounted on the end of the sheath audformedwith a reducedextension entering said registering openings in the casing andcover andthereby anchoring the cover to the casing.

"References Cited in the file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS

